


A Distant Promise

by fluffyposting



Category: Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson
Genre: Angst, Canon Divergence, Joxter is a spirit, Joxter's death isn't heavily touched upon, Not Beta Read, Other, and also very affectionate like ridiculously so, cat dad just wants his son to be happy, moomin and snufkin are young teens in this, my only disclaimer is that i haven't finsihed moominpappa's memoirs, so joxter might be out of character in this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-23
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2020-05-16 11:38:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19317415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fluffyposting/pseuds/fluffyposting
Summary: Snufkin belonged here; Joxter could feel it in his bones and deep within his aching heart. Of this he was sure, more sure than he had ever been of anything in his short life: the Moomin's loved Snufkin in the way that he deserved; in a way that the Joxter could only do from the world beyond.





	A Distant Promise

**Author's Note:**

> This has been sitting in my Google Drive for three weeks under the title, 'Real Sad BOY hours' and I have been wanting to finish it for a while so I decided that now was as good of a time as any. I didn't go into detail about Joxter's death so it can be left up to interpretation.
> 
> I once read a hc that the Joxter was dead? Or maybe I imagined it but it has been stuck in my head for a while now. 
> 
> One more thing!! I don't know how to add links on AO3 (They never work when I try to add them??) But PLEASE listen to 'Life ~ Distant Promise' from the Chrono Cross ost as it influenced a good majority of how I wrote some of this fic (& the title).

As the adventure came to a close everyone happily returned to Moominhouse; still chatting about ephemeral memories and of days that had long since flown by. The sun had began to rest without anyone taking notice, tucking herself in behind the far off trees on the horizon as everyone wandered back home. 

At the end of the day, everyone was tired and quite happy from the adventure they’d all just had. But despite that, the children still had energy to burn off and so they took to the field outside Moominhouse and ran like the wind beneath the evening sky.

Moominpappa took to smoking his pipe on the steps of the veranda, taking in the happiness of this moment and watching as everyone ran around in a game of tag; from Moominmamma to the Mymble; everyone radiated an air of pure happiness. It curled up in his gut and made him warm, happy. It was wonderful to see his old friends again and to reminiscence and even have an adventure with them once again.  
  
He took note of his old friends familiar red hat as the mumrik approached, a Cheshire grin on his features as though he’d eaten a canary and was ready to give it’s corpse as a gift. It wouldn’t have been the first time he had done so and Moominpappa doubted it would be the last time either. 

Once the Joxter reached the steps, he gave Papa a nod before swiftly sitting down on the step beside him, kicking up his feet and languidly stretching out on the steps. “Snufkin’s a good kid,” Joxter hummed once he was comfortable, tilting his gaze towards the sky. “I’m glad I got to meet him.”

Moominpappa nods in agreement, “Yes. He’s very resourceful too, it’s a marvel as to how he’s lasted so long out on his own.”

Hearing that made the Joxter's heart hurt; an odd feeling he had only ever felt a handful of times before in his life. It had never been his intention to let Snufkin grow up alone; but knowing he survived through it all made him feel a little better.

“I’m so proud of him,” Joxter said. His voice shook slightly as he spoke to himself, voice barely above a whisper, "I wish I hadn't died so soon.”

Moominpappa gave him a look, one of shock at the words he hadn’t been expecting. “Died?” He asked in a hissed whisper, taking a moment to glance quickly at their boys; but the two were to engrossed in their game to notice anything being said between their fathers. 

The Joxter nodded, his whole demeanor different from that of the man he once knew from so long ago. The mumrik spoke softly, explaining, “I died a month before the Mymble gave birth to him. It was a struggle to convince the God’s to allow me to come back today.”

Moominpappa nods and then lets a frown form on his face while his ears flatten at the Joxter’s words. He had just assumed it was in the mumrik nature to disappear for long times; the idea that his friend had perished and he hadn’t a clue…  “Can’t you stay a little longer?”

Joxter shook his head. His eyes falling back onto his son and Moomin’s son. _No_ , Moominpappa’s son. The two of them chased each other around the field in the dying light of the sun, lost in their own world separated from the rest of the group, lost in their own game of tag and each other. It seemed that his Snufkin was winning until Moomin bravely gave a pounce, tackling Joxter’s son to the ground. Joxter’s ears twitched at the sound of their laughter and squeals of joy and how happy they were. His heart swelled with warmth and pride.

His boy was happy and that was all he had ever wanted.

“The God’s only gave me so much time.” The Joxter sighed, his eyes still watching the boys. Snufkin surprised Moomin by tickling him and the short Moomin gave a surprised squeal before rolling away from Snufkin, struggling to his feet, and barreling away from the young mumrik who was already on his tail. 

“Surely you have a little more,” Moominpappa insisted, “Snufkin will be terribly sad once he finds out.”

“I know that,” The Joxter growled, his paws clenching tightly into fists. Nothing was easy about this, and there was no amount of goodbyes he could give to his son to make this any better. With his voice, only a whisper in the wind, he sighed, “I wish I had more time."

Ah, but as it turned out, he was running out of time quite fast. The sun would soon be gone, her head tucked in and fully asleep in only a handful of minutes. Minutes that he needed to make proper use of. 

The Joxter didn’t realize he was crying until he leaned forward to grin at Moominpappa. He could feel the uncomfortable wetness of tears slipping down his cheeks and falling from his chin, but there was no time for such trivial matters as crying, he has something more important to think about.

“Make me a promise?” He asks, tilting his head so his eyes catch the fading rays of the sun. They're puffy, sparkling in the final rays that kiss the earth, the blue color so intense and brighter than sapphires as he speaks, “Keep an eye on him. Be the father I couldn’t be for him, please.” Joxter's voice is a soft laugh filled with sadness. It's clear in the way he stares off at his son and Moomin, watching the two chase each other, that he doesn't want to go yet. If there was any way he could stay, he would have taken it.

But there's none, so he stands with a sigh, coat fluttering in the evening wind. He doesn’t even wait for Moominpappa to promise him, before the Joxter continues his melancholic ramblings, "I already told him I love him and how proud I am of him…" Another soft, pained laugh as he turns back to his old friend and adds, "I'm sure Snufkin is already like a son to you, if the closeness of our boys has anything to say about it."

Once more, he can hear the loud, bustling laughter of their sons and so he turns to watch them return to playing in the dying light. This time, Snufkin caught Moomin, the two tousled and wrestled playfully while the evening wind gently kissed their hair; until finally they collapsed against each other with heavy breaths and shaky, happy laughter. The Joxter watched as Moomin sat up, picking a dandelion that was crushed under their weight; he watched as the moomin fiddled with it for a moment before gently placing it atop Snufkin's head. He couldn't see Snufkin's face very well from the position the boys sat, but from the loud laugh, he could tell that Snufkin was happy. 

Snufkin belonged here; Joxter could feel it in his bones and deep within his aching heart. Of this he was sure, more sure than he had ever been of anything in his short life: the Moomin's loved Snufkin in the way that he deserved; in a way that the Joxter could only do from the world beyond.

Lost in this small moment of bliss, watching his son be happy, as he always wished Snufkin would be, Joxter didn’t realize the sun had fully set; now far from view. All the was left was the shining rays of the moon that blanketed the Earth and the pinpricks of the stars that danced in the blackness of the night sky.  Raising one paw to the moon, he watched as his body picked itself apart into tiny, sparkling bits that fluttered off into the wind. He sighed through his nose, watching the sparkling deterioration of his body fly off like fireflies in the night. "It's time for me to go now."

No one noticed what was happening. Only Moominpappa and the Joxter were aware of what was going on in this moment, for the others were too far away to see clearly, and all of them were quite focused on playing around or on each other. 

"You never answered my question, Moomin." Joxter chuckled, though it sounded more like a sad croak than a laugh.

“You never gave me a chance to,” Moominpappa huffed, rubbing at tears that threatened to spill over. It had been many a year since the last time he'd seen his odd friend. It was heart-wrenching to know their paths would never cross again.

Even if he would see the Joxter everyday in Snufkin, his friend would be worlds away.

_But..._

"Please, promise me this, Moomin."

There was still a promise to make.

Joxter held up his pinky, it was one of the few visible parts of him left, while his body continued to move on back to the other world. Moominpappa lifted his pinky up too, unable to laugh at the childishness of this situation; for they were grown men doing pinky promises! But there was a tenderness to it that softened the blow of loss.

The moment their pinkies interlaced, the promise sealed, what was left of Joxter’s soul parted with the world. In a gentle explosion of sparkling light, the mumrik was gone.

“I promise.” Moominpappa whispered, watching the lights fade in to the nothingness of the night. He sighed, turning back towards his own son and his best friend. They were wandering back to Moominhouse now, hand in hand, stumbling over each other and laughing at something silly. The other children must have gone home, as only Moominmamma followed behind the duo, her gentle smile never ceasing to make Moominpappa’s heart flutter and pain dull.

As Snufkin slipped away from Moomin with an excited skip in his step, Moominpappa could feel the dread in his heart; how was he to break the news of his father now after Snufkin had just met him?

Snufkin’s face fell once he arrived at the steps, his eyes glancing around from the table to the steps to the front door. “Where’s Papa?” He asked, his shoulders slumping with each syllable. Oh dear oh dear, the poor boy must think his father abandoned him once more.

With quick thinking, Moominpappa placed a gentle paw on Snufkin’s shoulder and gently explained, “Your papa had to go home. Did he not say goodbye?”

“He did but…” Snufkin trailed off, seeming to deflate even more.

Moominmamma sighed, taking her paw to rub gentle circles into Snufkin’s back. “I’m sure he’ll be back dear, he was quite happy to finally meet you.”

“And he did say he’s very proud of the young man you’re growing in to.” Papa added, giving Snufkin a wide smile. He took a moment to let Snufkin soak up the information and once the young mumrik did, his eyes grew wide and he came to life once more with a smile so wide he could hear Moomin’s soft, love-sick gasp.

“Did papa really say that?” Snufkin asked, taking hold of Moominpappa’s paws and tilting his head curiously to the side, “You must tell me the truth, no lies, Moominpappa!”

“Yes, Snufkin my boy. I promise you with my whole heart that he did speak of how proud he is of you.”

Snufkin’s smile grew bigger as he whispered, “Thank you, Moominpappa.” He let Moominpappa’s paws go, his own falling back at his sides. They twitched and fiddled with the hem of his coat.

“Oh, Snufkin!” Moomin interrupted with an excited gasp, taking Snufkin’s paws within his own and spinning the two of them around, “Won’t you stay the night? Or at least have dinner with us? Please?”

“Of course, Moomin!” Snufkin replied, following Moomin as the younger boy tugged him along inside. He was happy, though still sad his father had to go so early, Snufkin still had Moomin and his family by his side, and for that, he was grateful. 

As Moominpappa followed Mama and the boys inside, he prayed that the Joxter left with the knowledge that Snufkin would always have a place here among the Moomin's.

**Author's Note:**

> Real sad CAT DAD hours am I right?
> 
> I'm gonna have to learn how dialogue works oh my G O O D NESS I'm sorry if it seems robotic? Dialogue is not my strong suit. And linking things together is kind of hard too?? It's a learning process.


End file.
